India's Supreme Court has observed that the issue of Tamil Nadu fishermen getting arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy needs to be resolved politically and diplomatically and the court cannot intervene in such matters.

The Court has dismissed the writ petitions filed by former DMK Member of Parliament A.K.S. Vijayan and Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha M. Thambidurai seeking the court's intervention to resolve the issue.

The petitioners had asked the court to issue a directive to Indian authorities to take steps to secure the release of Tamil Nadu fishermen languishing in Sri Lankan jails and also to prevent fishermen from being attacked on high seas.

The Chief Justice has told the petitioners that the fishermen's issue is a political matter, in which court cannot intervene and should be raised in parliament.

Responding to the counsel for Tamil Nadu, Additional Advocate-General Subramonium Prasad, who has submitted that the majority of such incidents occurred when Tamil Nadu fishermen went near Katchatheevu area for fishing, the AG has pointed out that India ceded Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka in 1974.

The Chief Justice has told the Counsel for Tamil Nadu that there is a new government at the Center and asked the petitioners to make a representation to the government with all the issues.

The AG said he would arrange a meeting for Tamil Nadu MPs to meet External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to discuss the issue.